Theme: Society & Culture | Content Type: Journal article

BBC Northern Ireland and the Public Service Challenge: Some Reflections

Bob Collins

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K Mitch Hodge

| 1 min read

Broadcasting in Northern Ireland reflects the abiding influence of conflict between the nationalist and unionist communities and the perception of Northern Ireland as a place somewhat apart. Decisions about broadcast content are made in an environment where each community expects to see itself and can be disturbed to find the other. But there are other communities, as well as many people, who do not think in binary terms. Broadcasting needs to respond to that and to the changing demography, with its more varied and nuanced views. BBCNI lacks both the governance and the resources to respond to this challenge. Key decisions are made in London, where the task ahead is not well understood and priorities can appear oriented towards a different audience.

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    Bob Collins

    Bob Collins is a former Director-General of RTÉ and a former Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.

    Articles by Bob Collins
Volume 95, Issue 1

Latest Journal Issue

Volume 95, Issue 1

Includes a collection on the Future of Public Service Broadcasting, edited by Suzanne Franks and Jean Seaton. This features articles such as 'The Governance of the BBC' by Diane Coyle; 'A Public Service Internet - Reclaiming the Public Service Mission' by Helen Jay; and 'BBC Funding: Much Ado about the Cost of a Coffee a Week' by Patrick Barwise. There are a wide range of other articles including 'Back to the Stone Age: Europe's Mainstream Right and Climate Change’ by Mitya Pearson and 'Labour, the Unions and Proportional Representation' by Cameron Rhys Herbert. Finally, there is a selection of book reviews such as Lyndsey Jenkins's review of Fighting For Life: The Twelve Battles that Made Our NHS and the Struggle for Its Future by Isabel Hardman, and Victoria Brittain's review of Three Worlds, Memoirs of an Arab-Jew by Avi Shlaim.

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